1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to removable hurricane storm shutters, to protect a window during a storm from wind and flying debris.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of storm shutters to protect a window during a storm is well known in the prior art. Typically, these shutters may consist of a precut portion of material such as plywood, attached to the outer frame of a window. These panels may be attached to the outer window frame by hinges, nails or screws, or by use of a bracket assembly mounted to the outer window frame allowing the storm shutter to be slid into place.
Hurricane storm shutters must be precut to fit individual windows. This requires that each window on a house be measured and a storm shutter cut to fit that particular window. Thus, these storm shutters are not interchangeable between windows of different sizes.
In addition, the process of cutting and measuring storm shutters to fit a window can take a considerable amount of time. This may be of particular concern to a home owner with little or no advanced warning of an approaching storm. In the case of plywood storm shutters that are attached by means of nails or screws, there is also the problem of damage to the outer window frame from repeatedly nailing or screwing the storm shutters into place. One method of expediting the process of putting storm shutters in place is the use of corrugated plastic shutters that are precut for each individual window. These shutters are held in place by means of brackets on the upper and lower portion of the window frame. This type of system facilitates the quick placement and removal of each shutter.
These plastic shutters are lightweight and easily stored. However, each shutter must be precut to match the dimensions of the particular window it is to cover. In the case where there is a limited amount of time to prepare a house for a storm, the time necessary to precut each shutter for each window may create a problem. Further, when each shutter has been precut for an individual window, the shutters must be sorted and matched to each window on the house prior to installation, thus consuming additional time that may be critical during the period prior to a storm.
This invention provides an apparatus and method for protecting a window during a storm using interchangeable storm shutters. The shutters used to protect a particular window are made up of a series of interlocking panel sections of a predetermined width. A first panel section would be placed in a window and a second panel section, slidably connected to the first panel section by a telescopic connection, would be extended along a longitudinal axis to the appropriate window height to cover an exposed area of the window. The next storm shutter also comprised of the first and second telescoping panel sections would be extended to the window height, put in place, and interlocked with the previously installed storm shutter. This process would continue until the entire exposed area of the window has been covered. Thus, the apparatus and method of this invention allows for the placement of interchangeable storm shutters in the windows of a house prior to a storm. Further, the apparatus and method of this invention reduce the time necessary to prepare a house for a storm, in that these shutters may be obtained and put in place without having to be precut for each individual window.
In addition, the storm shutters of the prior art typically do not allow light to pass through the window into the house. Thus, in the event of a power outage the occupants of the house may be in total darkness during a daytime storm. The apparatus and method of the current invention takes advantage of a translucent plastic material that would allow light to pass through the shutters and thus maintain illumination in the house during daylight hours in the event of a power outage. Lastly, the apparatus and method of this invention allow for easier removal and storage because the panel sections can be removed and stacked in a pile of a uniform dimension and without regard to the order or location of the windows from which they were removed.
These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or are apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.